I don’t know about where you live, but where I am in Columbus, Indiana, people have horrible driving skills. I constantly see people run red lights and cut in front of you with little to no time to brake. I’ve often thought that I should consider buying a dash cam to use an insurance policy in case I get in an accident where I’m not at fault and need evidence to prove it. When the Cobra Drive HD Dash Cam with Wi-Fi (CDR 900) was offered to me, I happily agreed to take it for a joy ride – literally.
Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.
Technical Specifications
1296P Super HD – Records in 1296P Super HD or 1080P Full HD video.
Ambarella™ A7LA Chipset
Wi-Fi Enabled – Communicates with the Drive HD companion app for iOS or Android devices to view and share videos
2.0” LCD Screen – Includes Micro HDMI output to directly play footage on your HD TV or computer (cable not included)
160° Viewing Angle
Dimensions 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.15 in. (55.88 x 55.88 x 29.21 mm)
Package Contents
Cobra Drive HD Dash Cam (CDR 900)
Suction cup car mount
12V power adapter
12′ USB power cable
USB sync cable
Lanyard mount
User manual
Hardware design
The camera itself is small and compact, which is what you want in a dash cam since it has to be mounted in your car typically in front of the rearview mirror on your windshield. The face of the camera has the Cobra logo and the lens, while the back side has a 2 inch color display, two buttons that control power and recording, and a speaker.
On one side you’ll find a microphone, a microSD card slot with an 8GB card installed and a 2.5mm GPS receiver connector. Cobra plans to offer a GPS receiver at some point that can be connected to this camera to provide realtime GPS location info to go along with captured video.
On the other side of the camera you’ll find a micro USB connector and a micro HDMI connector. The USB connection is used to provide power to the camera and to connect it to your computer to view or transfer video. The micro HDMI connector allows you to connect the Cobra Drive HD camera to an HDMI enabled display. You’ll need to provide your own micro HDMI cable to use this feature.
The top edge of the camera has a slot for the included tripod mount.
The plastic mount is held in place by friction.
The camera easily attaches to the included suction cup mount.
Setup and use
I mounted the Cobra Drive HD dash cam in front of the rearview mirror in my 2013 MINI Cooper. Although the mirror obscured my view of the camera’s display, it does provide a distraction free location to mount it. I’ve had it mounted for several weeks and it has not fallen off the windshield even with the weather switch from very hot to relatively cool.
In addition to mounting it on your windshield, you also have to connect it to power using the included USB cable. This is a special cable that only provides power and can’t be used to connect to your computer to download the recorded video clips.
Here’s the Cobra Drive HD Dash Cam mounted on my windshield.
As soon as you start your car’s engine, the camera will power on and will make a shutter noise like it’s snapping a picture. It then starts recording video automatically. Note that you can use the Drive HD as an action cam too. The difference between using it as a dash cam and an action cam is that in dash cam mode it will record in a continuous loop and will also record emergency videos when it senses that there has been a sudden impact to your car. The built in G-sensor is an accelerometer that can detect impact and will automatically save footage 30 seconds before and after impact in a protected file on the inserted 8GB micro SD card.
The camera’s interface is very basic and easy to understand. The top corner shows the camera mode, dash cam or action cam. The other corner shows the available battery life in minutes. The bottom status line shows the date and time.
Pressing the power/menu button when the display is on will show the menu. This is where you can play the stored videos, toggle dash cam / action cam mode, toggle WiFi and cloud modes.
The menus will also let you toggle the microphone, display time out and auto record settings.
You can reformat the micro SD card too.
After a couple days of letting the camera do its thing, I disconnected and brought it inside to watch the videos. I was a little confused when I noticed that all the videos were only 3 minutes long. I thought there must be a setting that I had forgot to change as I assumed that the video would be as long as the drive or until I turned of the car’s engine. So I asked The Gadgeteer’s resident dash cam expert Andy Chen if it was normal for a dash cam to only record 3 minute segments of video. Andy has posted several dash cam reviews over the years (check the related reviews list below), so I knew he’d know the answer… and he did:
Yes! This is very normal. Actually, it’s the norm. It’s actually a GOOD thing. These cams have to operate under some really odd circumstances, where it starts and stops recording when power is turned on/off. That’s pretty rough. It if messes up writing the video file you’ve got corrupted video that probably can’t even be opened up.
So instead of one giant hour-long video that gets totally trashed, the worst case, you lose a single 3-min segment.
In practice, this is a good thing, too. Let’s say you want to share a video incident. Just choose that small 3-min segment. No need to open a giant hour-long video clip and search, search, search… then EDIT.
Believe it or not, the class-leading GoPro has a real problem with being a dash cam. The GoPro can be set to record in segments of your choosing, and even “loop record” (rewrite oldest) but (1) it doesn’t work, and (2) the GoPro can’t be set to record start-stop on power on/off.
If they could ever fix this, I’d toss every dash cam I have into a box and straight to the trash.
So there you have it… Let’s take a look at a compilation of video snips that I put together that shows the Cobra Drive HD dash cam in action during the day, early morning and in the rain.
Captured video can be viewed directly on the device if you don’t mind watching it on a 2 inch display, through a connected HDMI display and through your computer. Another way to view the video is by using the Drive HD app.
I tested this app with my LG G3 and wasn’t impressed at all. First of all you have to use the dash cam’s WiFi access point to connect to the camera. Connecting was very slow even when the two devices were in the same room within inches of each other.
Once connected, you can view a live stream, record and change settings. The app will also allow you to setup the cloud feature. Unfortunately I never got the cloud feature to work. The idea is that when the camera is within range of a hotspot that you configure, the camera can be viewed with the Drive HD app from anywhere in the world. I tried to set this up several times but it would time out each time I tried. This wouldn’t be a feature I’d probably ever use though since I’m not in range of WiFi when my car is in the garage or the parking lot at work.
Final Thoughts
I like the size and design of the Drive HD, but found the color saturation of some colors (yellow, orange, red) to be way out of wack. I think the picture could be a bit sharper too and the smartphone app is a real flop. But even with those issues, I like this camera and plan to continue using it or other dash cams from now on. I think a dash cam in your car is a very useful tool for recording footage of your trips, accidents and more.
Updates 04/02/15
I like this dashcam for its small size and extra feature (WiFi), but the color saturation issue made me put it back in the box a month or so after I finished the review. I continue to try other dashcams with the hopes of finding the right one for me. But so far the quest continues.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Cobra. Please visit their site for more info.
Product Information
| Price: | $249.95 |
| Manufacturer: | Cobra |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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I do believe this camera is the Looxcie 3. I have one of these units and a while back I wanted to get the little tripod mount “nubbin'”. I couldn’t find one online so I contacted Looxcie directly. They told me they no longer make consumer cameras. I just thought that was interesting.
@JKxZ I agree it does look like the Looxcie 3, but it is different. The Cobra does not have the buttons on the side like the Looxcie 3. Also the lens on the Cobra sticks out from the body. It looks flush on the Looxcie 3. Probably both made by the same company though.
I like the idea, but I don’t want that unsightly wire hanging down like that. I’d rather have to recharge an on-board LI battery than put up with that.
@DaveF I actually routed the wire up into my head liner after I took those pics. It looks much better. I could use a right angle USB cable though to make it look even nicer.
$249 ?? No thank you.
Will it fall off the windshield when you do actually have an impact?
@NotA Gadgeteer Hope I don’t have an impact. If it does fall off, it will just dangle from the USB cable that is tucked into my headliner. I’m not worried about it.
@Ernie I remember watching some of those videos 🙂
In 2013, a meteor exploded over Russia. It was captured on dozens of dash cams because the Russians are really into their dash cams. Everyone seems to have one. I guess they too have lots of crazy drivers. Look up “chelyabinsk meteor”.
People in Russia drive with dashcams because fraud is a huge problem there. People will literally jump on your hood or drop down in front of the car then claim you hit them. A dashcam serves as evidence against that.
You didn’t test the impact function? Come one Julie you’re slipping. Go get out the neck braces for you and Jeanne and do some more tests.
😀
@Andrew you want me to crash my MINI? No way… Maybe we can use Jeanne’s Kia though… hmmmm 😉
Impact Mode: ….It records everything on a rough dirt wash board road as emergency in the file system SD Card
I’ve had this same problem with other dash cams. They usually have a sensitivity setting that you can adjust if you regularly travel rough roads.
Great product and super compact! Price might be a tad steep though..
I actually think it looks pretty good from the video samples you uploaded. The saturation doesn’t make it something I’d use for a film project but for documenting an accident or something weird seen from the car, it seems pretty cool. I’d like it just to prove to my wife that I’m not as bad as driver as she claims I am.
Step 1) She says I’m the worlds worst driver for whatever reason.
Step 2) Show video to unbiased strangers or trusted friends.
step 3) I get vindicated.
Sure, that would work. 😉
I have to agree with the comments about the price being a bit high for what you’re getting though.
The suction cup mount seems to make it hand down too low. It should have a way to clip to your mirror. That would be cool.
Can you just put the microSD card into a computer to pull the video or do you have to pull it via the USB cable?
@Jeff you should be able to put the microSD card in a reader. I didn’t try it, but it shows up as a drive on my Mac when I connect with USB. It doesn’t require special software to access the video files.
May I know how can I get one?
@Long Amy order it from the links at the bottom of the review…
Bought mine last night from ShopHQ on the net, less than $70 too!
Found mine on E-bay, NIB about $79 And your have to buy the SD Card separate!
You wern’t kidding when you said the app was a real flop. I got it to work 1 time and since then it askes me for a password,(I never configured it for a password) I reloaded the app and totally reset the camera to factory and it still askes for a password. Lesson learned. Camera works ok but app is garbage.
@John Agreed… I never use the app. The only good thing about the app is that I think it allows you to set the time/date for the camera. Right now mine is wrong and I need to fix it. 🙂
Over time, I have to go back and reset the time. Problem is the app shows it is right but the date & time stamp is different. For some reason, when you go into the software app, it changes it back without you making any changes
You might want to visit the Cobra site to see if there’s a firmware update to fix this problem.
Why does it bother myself when I read a Tech article and think maybe the author is just
writing it to fill space.
At least finish the job here and Hardwire the camera with minimal wires showing.
Sorry, I just have a predisposition when I see a GPS, Radar detector or DVR Camera slapped on the windshield with a wire traversing through the car. Where it gets in the way and needs to be plugged in.
Come on set an example that someone with a true love for these Tech items would.
Not what a Sheeple would do.
If you make a stand here and say it was just stuck there for the article or you have an appointment to have it Hardwired.
Then………
Selvol
This was obviously a review of the camera, not it’s installation. You talk about the author just writing to fill in space, yet you focused on a dangling wire versus the review of the product itself. That’s a little hypocritical. Were you only looking for something to nitpick about?
Wow mark it is too bad you criticize and can not realize. As you contradict what you are attempting to make me look bad for allegedly doing.
Nitpicker? Id guess that is your Last name.
Good day.
News flash…..Camera totally quit working 3 months after buying it. It goes thru the start up functions and just as quick shuts down,then repeats it over and over again.You have to force it to shut down. When you start again,same exact thing. I wish I never bought this piece of garbage
@John mine is still going strong after almost 3 months.
Can you please tell me how the emergency recording time in minutes is ? (it only shows it in percentage). How long before the activation of the emergency recording does it start recording and how long after actiavtion?
@Theuns according to the manual it will make a one minute video that captures 30 seconds before and after the event.
I just got the cdr 900 today in the mail and it seems to be good so far but I am having a heard time setting up the wifi feature. Its like as if the camera is off because I dont even see the cobra name show up as an option. And yes the wifi has been enabled through the camera itself. Any suggestion for troubleshooting?
@Jay I had trouble with the WiFi feature too. It just doesn’t work very well at all… Hopefully that isn’t one of the main reasons why you bought this dashcam.
Luckily no the wifi feature was not the main reason I got it for. And the only reason I wanted to use the app was just to change the time and date. Luckily I tried my friends phone which was android and it worked after the first try. So maybe as far as the CDR 900 it does not work well with ios devices.
Bought the CDR 900 and very disapointed , cannot change the date and time on it, will not connect to WIFI, only had it for 10 days and still trying to get it to connect at home on my PC, no tech support or phone number to call, think I will be returning it, there has to be better dash cams out there, good review though now I know I am not the only one having problems getting it to connect. Also on there web Site it tells you what cell phones work with this and mine does not comply with any of them so I guess they expect us all to purchase new Android phones.
this is by far the worst dash cam you can buy….. It takes forever to try and connect the device to your cell phone via drive hd app, sometimes it connects other times it does not, i have spent over two hours trying to get it to connect and then still not connect, you can connect to a computer and download videos, however you cannot access any of the settings on the device such as the clock settings and set up unless connected to the drive hd app which hardly ever connects….. I would not recommend you waste your money on this device as it is not user friendly at all……
I’m not a big fan of the WiFi feature either. But I do like everything else about it.
I’ve had mine now for over a year and use it daily. The changes I’d like to see is a #1 Better close up lens VS Long Distance and wide angle. I’d rather see more clear detail. #2. To be able to change the recording time with options 1,2,or 3 mins, instead of a flat 3 Mins, #3. Would rater be able to set up all features other than downloading and app and makes settings from WIFI and smart phone, All should be built into the camera. #4 I paid $79 without SD card and is a Fair Price. Now I’m seeing the same old technology for upwards of $299. I would not pay that much for this camera with lens / Video quality! #5 Regardless of price or quality of the video, I have recorded at least 5 almost accidents to my person while traveling. the last one was a guy flying out of the alley onto the street I was traveling on and we both came to a dead stop with 2 inches of Metal to metal!
I have had the cdr 900 for 1 year can not get it to power up.First time I have any problems any answers for me?
Have you tried another USB cable or maybe the 12v adapter has gone bad for some reason.
I too have a similar issue. After about a year now everytime I power it on I cant chose any options or even to get it to stop beeper except turn it off. It just keeps beeping and flashing a logo of a stick figure man running but beyond that I cant do much. Any suggestions? My power burnt out a month into using it so I have replaced it with a higher quality usb cable still works fine.
Sorry, I don’t know how to solve your issue. You should contact Cobra and ask them for help with this issue.
“Unfortunately I never got the cloud feature to work. ”
End of conversation here.
How do you change the battery?
I have tried other power sources decided it must be it must be battery